A blustery blast of gales, heavy rain and snow will sweep across the country when high pressure from Scandinavia lures the Beast from the East Mark II to Britain.

Latest forecasts indicate an accumulation of snow across most of England and Wales when a bone-chilling Siberian wind blows the cocktail of chaos towards the UK.

The Met Office has issued a level 3 cold alert urging the elderly and vulnerable to take extra care during the cold snap.​ Varying levels of disruption are also expected throughout the country.​

Weather warnings for snow are in force for Sunday across the East Midlands, eastern England, London and the south-east, north-east England, north-west England, south-west England, Wales, the West Midlands and the Yorkshire & Humber region.

Rain in the north and east will fall as snow on higher ground in Scotland and northern England before the Beast really starts to bite ​later ​on Saturday and Sunday.

A shopper battles through the snow in Yardley (Image: Birmingham Mail)

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Some places could avoid the snow, but falls are expected almost anywhere during the weekend with up to 30cms predicted on exposed higher ground.

It will turn noticeably c​hillier on Saturday in the biting easterly wind before it gets even colder on Sunday with the mercury struggling to climb above freezing in much of England, Wales and eastern Ireland.

There will be frequent snow showers, potentially disruptive in the south and east.